Gulf needs to look beyond relationship with US, professor says

Political science professor says the US does not understand the region and it is time to rethink the relationship with it.

ABU DHABI // Gulf Arab states must prepare for life with dwindling American presence and influence in the region, believes the chairman of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences.

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, who is also a political science professor at UAE University, said the United States misunderstood the region and mismanaged its policy towards it.

During a lecture titled 2016 Presidential Election in Global Perspective, at New York University Abu Dhabi, he said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric was deep-rooted and claimed it was driven by the West’s loss of tolerance for foreigners and Muslims.

“I am at a stage to really rethink the fundamentals of this relationship,” he said on Thursday.

“We had a good relationship over the past 50 years, for security and oil purposes, but we are at a time when we think less of America is good.”

Relations between the US and the Gulf Arab states are strained by the US congress vote to override a presidential veto on a law that allows families of 9/11 victims to take Saudi Arabia to court.

“The last eight years of [Barack] Obama have been a very difficult phase in that relationship,” Prof Abdulla said.

“We thought it was just an ‘Obama thing’ but then we saw the vote overwhelmingly supporting the veto.

“With all the good rationale of sympathising with the families of the 9/11 victims, it shows there is a deep anti-Saudi Arabia manifestation, not just in congress but throughout the US,” he claimed.

Although US vice president Joe Biden reassured Gulf allies in March that the country was committed to strengthening and stabilising the region, many criticised the US for its lack of presence.

“We hear about the US absence as a complaint but the US still has a major presence and the security guarantee remains a big one,” said Daniel Benaim, former foreign policy speech writer and Middle East adviser to Mr Biden and fellow at the Centre for American Progress, which describes itself as an independent, non-partisan educational institute.

“Countries in the region are much more capable and proactive in shaping their own region than they have been in the past, which may lead to a different role for the US in the future.”

He said the US was still a young country learning to perform on the global stage.

“I’m not sure which superpower’s record looks so much better based on their record and behaviour, whether the British or French,” Mr Benaim said.

“I think the responsibility is shared and what is happening inside societies, divisions and conflicts, the US foreign policy toolkit isn’t ready-made to solve these problems.”

He said the nature of regional problems were such that an outside power could not address or solve all of them.

“But you can expect the US engaging in the region with our partners,” he said. “Striking that balance will be a fundamental question and how to define a present America is a major question.”

Both agreed that a Trump presidency would add more uncertainty to an already polarised world.

“If Trump becomes president, with all the things he stands for, he will bring with him a huge dose of uncertainty to global politics, and unpredictability, and nobody has the stomach for that,” Prof Abdulla said.

“What the world needs at the moment is anybody but Trump because he is a loose cannon.

“Hillary Clinton brings familiarity, world leaders know her more than any other politician in Washington and she is familiar with crises and problems, which is comforting.”

Although Mr Benaim said he believed there was an 80 per cent chance of Mrs Clinton winning the presidency, both said the Palestinian issue would remain unsolved.

“This is because [Israel premier Benjamin] Netanyahu isn’t interested in anything to do with peace or building a viable, independent state,” Prof Abdulla said.

“No one is capable of forcing him to sit with the Palestinians and Arabs to find a solution. The piece is on a frigid pad.”